Before I Wake
by Danaeyl Panthernopaeus
Summary: One gift was all it took to turn Kaname's world upside down. Warning: Not a "happily ever after" story. Reader discretion is advised.
1. Prologue

**~Before I Wake~**

**Author: **  
Danaeyl Panthernopaeus.

**Theme: **  
Alternate Universe.

**Storyline: **  
If I die…

**Warnings: **  
Horror themes, violence, slight language and out of character-ness.

**Disclaimer: **  
Vampire Knight and its characters do not belong to me. This is a fan-based, non-profit story.

**Author's Note:  
**This is my first time in the Vampire Knight fandom. I have read the manga but am most likely to still get things wrong. I ask that you overlook this and try to enjoy the story. Also, there are no original characters in this story, aside from Koori, who will only ever be mentioned after the prologue. One last note, if you are looking for a Kaname/Zero story, I'm sorry to say, this is not the story for you...Just kidding. This is the story for you but not for explicit details or anything like that. That isn't my style. I hope you enjoy this, nevertheless.

* * *

Prologue:

The cracking was getting louder. It was almost at the point of deafening. She couldn't stand it anymore. It had been going on for too long. Day after day, the cracking and screeching of glass. Night after night, the dreams. Week after week, her friends and family going to hospital. She was alone. She had nothing left. Nothing except _that_.

Tears fell from her eyes as she sat in a corner. She pulled at her hair until clumps of it were tangled around her fingers. She screamed, as loud and as long as she could. Nothing was working. The noise was continuing and she knew it didn't matter what she did. The voices joined in on the straining of the glass. She had never been able to understand what they were saying. She didn't want to know what they were saying. It didn't sound promising.

"_Now I lay me down to sleep…_"

"No!" she screamed, getting to her feet. She took hold of _that_ and shook _it_ roughly. "No! No! No! Stop it! Just shut up! You're not getting me! Leave me alone!" She threw _it_ to the floor and walked away, leaving the bedroom.

She knew that wherever she went _it_ would follow her, like a lost puppy. There was no escaping _it_ and death had been a frequent thought in her mind. She wasn't going to allow _it_ to win, though. She would find a way of stopping _it._ There _had_ to be a way of stopping the torment she was going through. She had to find who had sent _it_ to her. Unless she was a random pick.

"_Koori…Where have you gone, Koori? Are you leaving me?_"

"Shut up!"

She ran to the kitchen and tripped over something. Looking over her shoulder, a cry left her mouth. The dead body of her cat. The white fur of the animal was matted with blood. She turned around and crawled over to her beloved pet, picking it up and cradling it in her arms. She looked up and saw _it_ standing there, smiling at her with lifeless eyes. Getting to her feet, she kicked _it_ away and ran back to her room, the cat still in her arms.

She backed herself into a corner, her eyes darting back and forth frantically. There had to be an escape. The window beside her head shattered and she screamed, turning away from it, trying to shield her cat. She was already responsible for his death. She didn't want to be the one to be responsible for it being hurt. She muttered an apology as she went over to her bed, the shards of glass cutting her bare feet. She placed her cat on top of the white covers and stroked his fur.

"Wait here," she whispered to the deceased animal. "Wait right here, Shiro. I'll come back for you, I promise!" She wiped the drying blood off her hands on her skirt and got to her feet.

_It_ had gone too far. She could handle losing her friends. She could handle losing her family. But taking her cat away from her was going too far. She stood at the foot of her bed and looked at Shiro, a smile on her face. She would come back for him. He was the only reason she was determine to find an escape and she was certain she had found one now.

"_Koori…_"

She looked at her bed and saw _it_ beside her cat. _It_ stood there, motionless and she knew that _it_ would never move while someone was watching. With a growl, she picked _it_ up and shoved _it_ back into the glass coffin, closing the lid. With a sardonic smile, she went to her desk and picked up a small black envelope and a small piece of black paper and a pen with silver ink. In her neatest calligraphy, she began writing. "Dearest receiver…"

* * *

End Prologue.

A short prologue, I know. The chapters will be longer than this but, and let's be honest, do you really care about what happened to Koori or what's going to happen at Cross Academy? I think I know the answer. ^^

Questions? Comments? Please leave a review and the first chapter will be up within the next forty-eight hours...hopefully.


	2. Chapter I

**~Before I Wake~**

**Author: **  
Danaeyl Panthernopaeus.

* * *

**Day One – Friday.**

We were in our ethics class. Half of us were paying attention to Yagari-sensei and the other half were day-dreaming. I was half paying attention, half day-dreaming. My mind was on the slight problem of the Council and Zero's petulance. I had never let it show that some of his remarks annoyed me to no end. That sometimes, I wish I could kill him and erase everyone's memory of him. I refrained from doing that because he was really good at apologising. He had to apologise to me soon, though. There were a few remarks that had ticked me off a little.

My attention turned from Yagari-sensei to Aidou. The blond vampire was furiously scribbling away in his book. My eyes followed the strokes of his pencil and I titled my head, ever so slightly. I couldn't see the image he was creating but from the movement Aidou was doing, I could make out that it wasn't something very nice. He was speaking to himself, also. His voice was the lowest I'd ever heard it go and I had to strain my eyes to hear.

I looked around the room. It seemed that the others were also whispering. Their voices ran over the each other as their hushed tones encased me. I blinked and, as suddenly as it started, it disappeared. Aidou was still drawing in his book and still muttering to himself but the others were as silent as graves. I looked down at my book and sighed to myself. There wasn't anything I was learning that I didn't already know. Why did I bother to humour the teachers by showing up?

Where had that thought come from? It wasn't like me to be so narky. Truth of the matter was I really did enjoy school. I enjoyed the way the teachers taught their lessons; all the different techniques they'd use. It was a psychology lesion for me. I got to see the way the others reacted to certain teachers. Yagari-sensei was not a boring teacher but none of us really enjoyed ethics. I already knew how to diplomatic about anything, including dealing with someone like Zero.

Then there was the teacher for our math class. She was a little insane but she made the lesson fun. Everyday was a new experience and I found that we left that class having learnt something new. We weren't running on autopilot. Even Aidou sat up and paid attention when it was time for math. Most of the time he could be found doodling in his book, like he was now. I followed the pencil. It was basically the only movement in the class.

Aidou stopped mid-stroke and looked over his shoulder at me. I got to my feet, staring at the blond Noble. The others looked at me curiously and I could hear the questions they were asking in their head but would never have the guts to ask aloud. Could they not see Aidou? Could they not see that his usually light blue eyes were not…his? Or had I just been awake for too long? Aidou blinked and turned back to his picture. I sat back down and tried to ignore the eyes of the others that were on me. I knew that once we were alone Takuma would demand to know what had happened.

I must not be sleeping as well as I thought I had been. That would change tonight. I would get an early night and hopefully catch up with all of the rest I had lost. There wasn't anything special keeping me up in the mornings. My sleep had become broken, though. In the last week, especially. There would be something that would wake me, even if there was no reason for it. I was certain that I wasn't having nightmares and whenever I woke there were no presences around me, except those of the vampires that were in their slumbers.

I hid a yawn behind my hand, which came to an abrupt halt half way through. The whispering returned. I glanced around the room and saw that the vampires of my inner circle were staring at me. Their eyes didn't seem to belong to them. There was a glint in them that I couldn't pin-point but the incoherent whispering was getting louder and louder by the second. The more I tried to focus on it the more it seemed to get incomprehensible, which made no sense.

The whispering came to a sudden stop when there was a knock at the classroom door. Everyone stared at it, waiting to see who it would be that disturb the class at that hour. Yagari-sensei opened the door and a voice travelled to our ears. "Kuran Kaname?"

I blinked. It was a human that was asking for me, as any vampire would know that Yagari was not me. Yagari stepped back and pointed me out. The man stepped into the room, a large box under his arm. I raised an eyebrow as he handed me a clipboard. I scanned the lettering, making sure it was only a received goods contract and not something else. I signed my name and handed the contract back and he gave me the box, which was wrapped in basic brown paper, tied with brown string. He bid me a goodnight and left the room. What kind of company does night deliveries this late? I asked myself, turning the package around in my hands.

"You got a special delivery delivered to your class, Kuran-san?" Yagari asked, with a shake of his head.

"No. I haven't ordered anything." I stared at the brown paper. "There's no return address, either."

"Maybe it's from a secret admirer?" someone offered.

"There's no perfume on it and I can't smell roses," I said softly.

"Well, since you found it necessary to disrupt my lesson with that, you may as well open it now."

I hid a smirk. Yagari was just as curious as the rest of us. I nodded and undid the bow that the string was in. I gently pulled back the paper and found myself staring at the back of a black, glass box. I turned it around and raised an eyebrow. Takuma shuddered beside me and I removed the little, black envelope that was attached to the top left corner. I glanced through the glass as I unhooked it. I opened it and quickly read the neat handwriting.

I nodded, placing the note inside of the envelope and reattaching it to the top left corner. I placed the porcelain doll to the side and waited for the lesson to resume. Takuma had other ideas, though. "Could you face that thing away from me? It's _really_ freaky."

Aidou turned around and stared at the doll. The doll's eyes were a shade lighter than his and the Noble tilted his head, as though he was contemplating something. "I think she's kind of cute."

"You _like_ porcelain dolls?" Takuma asked, shock playing through his eyes.

"That doesn't matter. Do you know who sent it, Kaname-sama?" Ruka inquired.

I shook my head. "There's no return address. The author of the note called herself 'Koori'."

"What did the note say?"

I looked at Takuma. It seemed that my package was more important than the lesson and even Yagari was listening in to what I was saying. I removed the envelope and handed it to my friend. He gingerly opened it and pulled out the black slip of paper. "'Dearest receiver, this is Shikyo. I ask that you take care of her and treat her like a queen as she can become quite possessive of her owners. Don't you know that dolls do have a life of their own? And you never know when they will become attached. Sincerely, Koori.'." Takuma raised an eyebrow and handed the note back to me. "Creepy. I knew there was a reason why I didn't like porcelain dolls."

I nodded and took back the note, attaching it to the box again. For a moment, I thought I saw Shikyo's eyes flicker to Takuma. Another sign that I hadn't been receiving the right amount of sleep lately. I knew that dolls didn't have a soul. Porcelain dolls on the other hand…I understood what Takuma meant. People that collected the objects usually ended up weirder than before. I didn't have a thing against porcelain dolls, I just didn't like them. It never crossed my mind to be an owner of one, either. It would appear that someone else had a different idea.

"What are you going to do with it?" Takuma asked.

I turned away from the doll. "What did you want me to do with it?"

Takuma tilted his head. "Get rid of it. If you take that thing back to the dorm I know I won't be able to sleep knowing that it's around me."

"Are you that scared of a doll, Takuma?" I smiled at him. "She is only a doll. A lifeless possession that can bring you no harm."

Takuma looked ready to fight me on it but the bell rang, ending the classes for the night and for the day. I gathered my books and my doll. On the walk back to the dorm, I tried to figure out who would send me a doll. Was it a random pick? I didn't know anyone that would have a doll like that. The box she was in reminded me of a coffin. And what sort of company delivers something like this at night? I didn't remember seeing urgent anywhere on the package.

I paused and looked to my right. Zero was standing there, watching us. Making sure none of us decided to take a de tour for a midnight snack. His eyes flicker to the black glass coffin in my hands and I raised an eyebrow. His eyes returned to mine and he glared, turning his head away. If I didn't have Shikyo with me I would've spoken to him. In fact, I question myself as to why a doll was stopping me from speaking to someone I wanted to talk with. The others were waiting for me; I knew that and maybe talking to Zero could wait a little longer. I turned from him and continued on with my inner circle to the dorm.

The others were going to be up for a while longer as it was the weekend. I bid them a goodnight and went up to my room, placing my books on the desk. I looked at Shikyo. She smiled at me from within her glass prison. Her porcelain face was flawless. Long, black lashes. Rosy cheeks. Pale pink lips. All surrounded by black curls. I placed the glass coffin on my desk and opened it, pulling her free. Her eyes don't close but I figured she wasn't that type of doll.

She wore a white dress. The front had been cut and the sides pulled back to reveal the black material beneath. The bottom was lined with dark red lace, hiding her black shoes. The sleeves were made of black, sheer and edged with white lace. Around her waist was a red ribbon that formed a bow at the back. Atop her black curls was a small black and white hat. I turned her around in my hands. I didn't know what I was looking for but I knew I was looking for something. With a shrug, I placed her beside the coffin and began stripping out of my uniform. I was too tired to worry about Shikyo. What a fitting name. She smelt like death.

**Day Two – Saturday.**

Someone was knocking at my door. I rolled away from my door, hoping that would work in making the irritating sound disappear. It didn't work. I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw through the haze was a pair of light blue ones. I sat up and stared down at Shikyo. The knocking continued and I put the doll on my bedside chest, pulling myself out of bed. I honestly felt as though I hadn't gotten any sleep the previous night. I pulled on a robe and opened the door. Takuma was standing there, smiling.

I had half a mind to kill him for looking so refreshed. I invited him into the room and went to my desk, sitting down behind it and staring at my books. They were out of their carry pack and were strewn across the wood. I don't remember going through them but that didn't matter. It wasn't like Takuma to wake me up that early without a good reason. I looked up at him and waited. He shifted nervously and glanced at my bedside chest. He really didn't like Shikyo and I didn't blame him.

"Yuuki-chan is here to see you, Kaname-sama. Apparently there was something about you joining her and the Headmaster for lunch. I think you slept through it." As he spoke, Takuma kept glancing at the doll, as though he was expecting it to lunge at him. "How could you sleep with that thing in the same room as you? I begged Shiki to let me sleep with him last night."

How could I have forgotten then lunch? Yuuki had been so excited about it. I was certain she would understand why I missed it. I nodded at Takuma and made for the door but paused and looked his shoulder me. He looked at me with concern and I knew from that look I had to look like death warmed over. I gave him a small smile but he didn't seem to buy it.

"If you like, Kaname-sama, I can tell Yuuki-chan that you're sleeping. Oh! And Aidou and the others wanted to know if they could go and see a movie a little later on tonight."

"Only Aidou and the others? What will you be doing this evening?" I asked as I got to my feet and opened the door to my en suite.

"I've got a mountain of homework to complete before Monday." Takuma tool hold of the door handle. "Kaname-sama, I hope I'm not out of line when I say you look horrible. Did you get _any_ sleep last night?"

"I did, Takuma and thank you for your concern." I closed my eyes, feeling just how tired I really was. I fell into a deep sleep, which probably wasn't the best thing for me to do. "The others have my permission to go out for three hours only. I don't want them to cause any sort of trouble."

Takuma nodded and left my room. I slipped into the bathroom and removed my robe and pyjamas. I turned the shower on and glanced at my reflection in the mirror. I looked worse than death warmed over. I looked like death himself. I yawned as I stepped under the current, not caring about the fact that I hadn't added any cold water. I need the heat to relax my sore, tense and tired muscles. I just wished it would've worked better than it did. I had Yuuki waiting for me downstairs and I couldn't take as long as I usually did when I felt that bad.

I dressed and went downstairs. "Yuuki…Zero?" Takuma forgot to mention that the male prefect was also with her. If I had actually been paying attention to who was around, I would've noticed his presence in the dorm. As it was, I was almost at the state of not knowing my own name.

Yuuki grinned at me but it faltered. "Kaname-senpai! Did I wake you? I really didn't mean to. I told Ichijou-senpai that if you were still asleep you let you stay that way." She glanced at me anxiously and I smiled at her. It wasn't her fault that I was having such a terrible time sleeping.

"Its fine, Yuuki. I'm sorry that I missed lunch. Perhaps we could have dinner instead?"

Yuuki opened her mouth but a scream from upstairs got our attention. I turned and ran towards it; Zero was right behind me. I opened the door to Takuma's room. There wasn't anything around that I could sense but I could see what it was that had made him scream. Shikyo was standing on his bed. Zero pushed his way past me and stared at the doll.

"Is that the creepy thing you were carrying last night?" he asked as he walked over to her and picked her up. "So the tough pureblood likes dolls, huh?" He smirked at me before he shoved Shikyo into my hands.

"How did it get in here?" Takuma demanded. His heart was racing to the point where I thought he was going to have a heart attack.

"I don't know," I answered. "I left her on my bedside chest." When I thought about it, I didn't remember seeing her there when I left the bathroom. She had to have been there. "It was probably Aidou." Even though I said it, I wasn't entirely sure if I believed it.

"Is everything okay?" Yuuki inquired from behind me.

I turned to her and she flinched as she saw the doll in my hand. "Everything's fine, Yuuki. How about dinner?"

Yuuki nodded, her eyes still on the doll. "I think the Chairman will like that." She blinked and raised her eyes to meet mine. "I know he loves to see you, Kaname-senpai."

Zero stepped past me and took hold of Yuuki's hand. "Be sure to leave your friend here, Kuran." With that, he dragged Yuuki downstairs and out of the dorm; Yuuki called out her goodbye.

I apologised to Takuma and left his room, closing the door. I looked down at Shikyo and she smiled back at me. I shook my head. I had to be insane to think that dolls could move on their own. One of the other vampires had to have entered my room while I was downstairs or while I was in the shower. I've been so out of it lately I doubt I would've noticed if someone had been in my room while I was in the bathroom. I took Shikyo back to my room and glanced at the time.

The Chairman was probably making dinner now, which gave me about an hour before I was due to be there. I placed the doll on the bed and went to my desk, pulling my calculus homework out. My eyes scanned the notes I took and I did the problems easily. With calculus out of the way, I pulled my ethics book forward. Yagari-sensei hadn't appointed any homework because of the surprise delivery. Who would send me a doll? I didn't even know anyone that liked porcelain dolls.

Shikyo gazed at me from the bed. How had she ended up in Takuma's room? _"Don't you know that dolls have a life of their own?"_ Dolls weren't alive – everyone knew that. But maybe they were. In a sense, everything is alive. Alive enough to move on its own? An inanimate object? No. That's not possible or even probable. I looked at Shikyo and she smiled back at me with her cold, dead blue eyes. How was I meant to treat her like a queen? It was a doll!

I rubbed my eyes. If I didn't get some decent rest soon I would probably go insane. I looked at my door when there was a knock. My heart thumped in my chest and I granted the waiting person entry. It took a lot for me not to smile when Zero slipped inside. He turned and walked up to my desk, gazing at me. I studied him expectantly. I knew I wasn't due at the Headmaster's house for a little while still. Zero didn't appear to be in need of my blood, either. He stood there, staring at me and I beckoned him around to my side.

As he walked, I scanned him. He had Bloody Rose on his person but it wasn't on his mind. I smirked and he was beside me. "Is something wrong, Zero?"

Zero shrugged. "Boredom mostly." His eyes roamed my body.

I got to my feet and stood in front of him. "Shouldn't you be helping the Headmaster with tonight's dinner?"

"He kicked me out of the kitchen, saying he had everything under control." Zero leant against my desk, staring me in the eye.

"And what did you think I could do to help relieve this boredom you're suffering from?" I placed a hand on the hunter's chest and slid it down, undoing the buttons as it went.

Zero's eyes flashed with mischief, an emotion I was hoping that would enter his eyes more often. He pushed my hands to the side and gripped my shirt, pinning me to the wall. I allowed him to have that freedom as our mouths connected. A soft groan came up my throat as I got one hand tangled in his silver strands and the other pressing against his lower back. He slipped a leg between mine, attempting to get closer than what was physically possible. Our tongues fought for dominance and I allowed him to win that small victory. It wasn't often I allowed him to have power over me.

We parted for air and I changed our positions. I removed the shirt that Zero was wearing and licked down his neck and across his clavicle, down his bicep and nipped inside of his elbow, receiving a strangled moan from him. My tongue swirled around the sensitive skin and he whispered my name. I nodded and picked him up. Zero wrapped his legs around my waist and I took us over to the bed, laying him down. I removed my own shirt, feeling Zero's warm fingers over my torso. Shikyo and her former owner were pushed to the back of my mind.

***  
I held Zero close, feeling _very_ satisfied as the water of the shower ran over our bodies. I kissed him possessively as I washed his body. We still had a few minutes before we decided to head off to the house and have dinner. I rinsed Zero and turned the water off, stepping out. I handed him a towel and got one for myself and we went into the bedroom to collect our clothing, which had been strewn around the room in our lustful frenzy.

In the room, Zero sat on the bed and picked up Shikyo. "I seriously can't believe you're gonna keep this thing. How can you sleep with it staring at you?"

I dried my hair and put the towel into the hamper, pulling on my pants. "The same way I sleep with you staring at me: I ignore it."

Zero placed Shikyo on the bed and came over to me. He wrapped his arms around my waist. "There's just one huge difference between the doll and me. I'm at least good looking." He tilted his head up and pecked me on the lips.

"Yes," I agreed as he detached himself from me and got dressed, also. "I really don't know who would send her to me, though. Everyone I know doesn't like porcelain dolls and the note that came with her was as strange as the arrival." I buttoned my shirt up.

"Someone actually called a doll Shikyo? Freaks. Is that cat's blood I can smell?" Zero handed me the note and I sniffed it.

"Possibly. It smells as though it's been aired out, though." I shrugged and handed it back to Zero, who slipped it into envelope again. "I just wish there was a return address so I could send her back to her original owner."

Zero stared at the doll. "Maybe the person who owned it before you decided they'd had enough of the freakiness that surrounded porcelain dolls and randomly picked a name."

"I wish that were true, Zero." I went over to him and did up his shirt. "It was addressed to me here. I didn't send out a newsletter letting everyone know where I was. Only the Council and Association know that I'm here. I want to know why I was chosen to receive Shikyo."

Zero lowered his eyes. "Maybe they sent it to one of your homes and someone re-wrapped it and addressed it here. It could explain why there wasn't a return address. Someone probably thought you were expecting it. As for why you…maybe they thought you'd take good care of her, like the note said." He raised his eyes. "Who's Koori?"

I shrugged. "I don't know anyone by that name. At least, I'm fairly certain that I don't. Let's drop it. We should get to dinner." Zero nodded and pushed off the desk. Before I left my room, I glanced at Shikyo. She smiled lifelessly at me from where Zero left her on the bed. I didn't trust her but she was a gift and it would be rude to dispose of her.

Maybe Aidou would like her. In fact, that was a good idea. Aidou cherished everything that was touched by me. He would be able to treat Shikyo like a queen and he did think she was rather cute. He could've been saying that because he didn't know what I thought about her, though. Either way, Aidou would take good care of her. Zero and I stopped and looked at each other. We laughed, shaking our heads. We were going insane. At least, that was what we hoped was happening. It would've made things much more easier to handle.

* * *

End Chapter I.

I hope that was worth the wait.

Please leave your thoughts and comments in the lovely form of a review.


	3. Chapter II

**~Before I Wake~**

**Author: **  
Danaeyl Panthernopaeus.

**Author's Note:  
**I'm sorry to say that Koori is being persistent and shows up in this chapter and will probably appear in all the others.

* * *

**Day Three – Sunday.**

When I got back to the dorm last night, I handed Shikyo over to Aidou, who was ecstatic to have her added to his collection. Everyone wanted to know why I gave her away but none of them asked it out loud as, thankfully, they were aware that it didn't concern them. I had given Shikyo to someone who would cherish her very existence and it would mean that I wouldn't think I was going insane any longer.

I sat in my office, staring down at the paperwork in front of me. I didn't know what I was looking. Well, I knew but there was something playing in the back of my mind. The name Koori was sounding more and more familiar the more often I heard it. For some reason the name conjured an image of a young girl with auburn curls and grey eyes. For the life of me I couldn't place her. I knew I wouldn't forget a name like Koori. I think I would remember meeting someone that had a doll like Shikyo.

I shook my head. I was letting it consume me and at that moment, I couldn't allow it. I re-read the document and signed my name at the bottom of it. I looked around my office. There was someone in there with me. I didn't know who it was but I could feel their eyes. Slowly, I scanned the room and stared at the sofa. Shikyo sat there, staring at me. I rolled my eyes and sighed, getting to my feet. I thought Aidou would never let that doll out of his sight. Why was he playing games with me with it?

I picked the doll up and left my office, going to Aidou's room. Behind the door I could hear someone moving around. I knocked and the door opened, Kain staring at me. I held Shikyo up and Aidou appeared, taking the doll from my grasp. "Oh, thank you, Kaname-sama! I thought I had lost her!" the blond vampire declared, holding Shikyo tightly.

"I found her in my office. You should take better care of your possessions, Aidou." I nodded at Kain and turned, going back to my office.

At the end of the hall, I paused and looked over my shoulder. I wanted to make sure that doll was going to stay where it was meant to. There weren't any little tapping of the hard soled shoes behind me but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was following me. It had to be the lack of sleep. I went to my office and turned off the lights. I could worry about paperwork when I wasn't imagining things. I went to my room and turned on the lamp on my bedside chest.

I stared down at the black envelope. It was slightly bigger than the miniature one that was on Shikyo's coffin. I placed it down again and finished undressing for bed. I didn't care at that moment. I needed to sleep and weird envelopes could wait until the next day. I got under the covers and turned off the lamp. Maybe it was lack of blood or lack of sustenance. It had to be something that was making me delusional. There was also the theory that maybe I wasn't going insane and the doll really was following me around. I yawned and turned my back to the envelope.

* * *

_"Kaname."_

_Was that a little girl? I looked around. I had no idea where I was but I was in a bedroom. It looked as though it belonged to a little girl. There was a white canopy bed. The covers were pink and purple and a horde of stuffed toys were seated along the pillows neatly. I looked in the mirror on the vanity and saw Aidou's glass cabinet in the reflection. Upon glancing over my shoulder, I found that it only existed in the mirror._

"_Kaname."_

_Shikyo was on her side, staring at me through the mirror. Her unblinking eyes watched my every movement, like they were criticising me. I tilted my head. I didn't remember her having a tear in her left sleeve when I examined her a day or two ago. I was losing track of how long I had been her owner for. I couldn't have been more than four days. It was less than a week, I was aware of that much at least._

"_Kaname."_

_I tore my eyes from the mirror and looked around the room. On the set of draws was a music box that was playing a tune I had never heard before. Next to it was a giant fairy statue that had moving wings, which were changing colour as they moved up and down. There was a large stuffed unicorn in the corner beside the draws. In the unknown light source, the shiny material that made the horn shimmered. It really was a little girl's room. Whose was it, though? I looked at the desk and saw a mass of auburn locks that were piled up on the head elegantly._

"_Kaname."_

_I stepped over to the person who was sitting at the desk. She placed down a pen that had silver ink in it. I frowned slightly as the person picked up Shikyo and hummed as they began brushing the hair. I looked at the mirror and saw that Shikyo was missing from the reflection. The little girl stopped mid-brush and looked over shoulder at me. Her eyes were grey and they didn't seem to belong to her; they weren't the eyes of a little girl. They were hard and cold, like Shikyo's. Suddenly, she smiled and she turned back into a little girl again. I walked to my left and her head followed me._

"_Hi," I said gently, not wanting to scare her._

_Her smile got wider and became toothy. As her lips parted blood trickled down her chin. "Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take," she said, more blood leaving her small mouth. "Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. Thy angels watch me through the night. And keep me safe till morning's light."_

_I stepped back from her. Why was she saying that? I glanced at the music box as it snapped shut on its own and the room went deathly silent. Who was this girl? Koori. The name whispered through the front of my mind. Without the blood staining her white dress, she was exactly what I saw whenever I thought of her. I still didn't recognise her, though and that was something that was beginning to annoy the hell out of me. It really had to be the lack of sleep. Wasn't I sleeping now?_

_A cat jumped onto the bed, leaving bloody paw prints over the light covers. I flinched as Koori opened her mouth and let out a piercing scream that would wake the dead in another country. The mirror cracked due to the pitch of the noise and the cat whined. I looked at the animal and saw that it had been disembowelled. How was that creature still alive? Why was Koori bleeding from the mouth? Why did she have Shikyo? In the mirror, I saw Aidou's cabinet fall over. It shattered with a deafening crash._

* * *

I sat up with a start and looked around. I turned on the lamp and cried out as Shikyo smiled at me. There was a commotion outside in the hallway. I could deal with the damn doll at another time. I pulled on pants and a shirt and ran out of my room. Kain was carrying Aidou out of his room and the blond looked more than a little shaken. I looked inside the room and saw that his cabinet was destroyed. Everything that it housed was spilled over the floor and Shikyo was back in my room.

My inner circle was standing around. Takuma was checking Aidou's mental state, even if that had been questionable at times. I beckoned Kain over. "What happened and how did Shikyo end up in my room again? I thought I told Aidou to take better care of his possessions."

Kain glanced through the door. "We don't know what happened, Kaname-sama. As for how the doll ended up in your room again, I don't know that, either. It was in the cabinet when we went to sleep and the cabinet was stable, also. Aidou triple checked that. He didn't want anything to happen unexpectedly."

"Very well. Accidents happen, I guess. How are you?" I looked the fire-starter over and the broad shoulders raised and lowered.

"I'm fine, Kaname-sama. How are you?"

I blinked and looked at him. Was that how Kain's voice always sounded? No. It wasn't feminine at all. He smiled at me and I took a step back. What the hell was going on around this dorm? I asked myself as I looked over at Takuma and Aidou. They seemed fine and Aidou was crying about his collection being destroyed. I looked back at Kain and his eyes were back to normal. Maybe it was the lack of real blood that was making me go into this state. How dismal would it be if I were to fail the test of the blood tablets?

"Kaname-sama?"

My hands gripped Kain's arm as I struggled to get oxygen into my lungs. The others crowded around me and I felt embarrassed. I was a damn pureblood and I was hyperventilating? If word spread of that, Lord knew what it could mean. My vision began going fuzzy and I felt strong hands cradling me as I was lowered to the floor. Through the vampires I saw glimpses of Koori. She smirked at me and turned her head to Aidou.

Someone went to say my name but stopped. They were cut off by the humming of the tune I didn't know. As it faded in and out like my vision, it slowly came to me. Without realising it, I began to sing in time with the humming. "This old man, he played one…" That was as far as I got before everything went black and I could no longer feel anything.

**Day Four – Monday.**

I woke up with Takuma by my side. He was glaring at the doll and I threw back the covers, picking up Shikyo and throwing her through the window. That wasn't one of my most dazzling moments but I just wanted that doll gone. She was gone now and there wasn't any way of her to get back to me or my room or even back inside of the dorm. It seemed that she had grown attached of me. I turned to Takuma, who was smiling at me.

"I'm going for a walk," I announced and dressed without showering or covering myself. I had to get out of the dorm. It felt as though I had been stuck in there for a month. "You're in charge," I told my friend and left my room.

Once outside of the building, I took in deep breaths. It felt so good. I sat down just out of reach of the doors and ran my hands through my hair. The twilight was almost there, which meant I would have to get back inside to change for class. I couldn't let anyone see me losing my mind or have anyone thinking I was losing my mind. What the hell was Koori's problem, anyway? Why did she send the doll to me? Why address the note as 'Dearest receiver' when you purposely sent it to someone?

I was sick of the questions and never having any answers. At least the cool air was nice and it helped to clear my fogged mind a little. I still wanted to know why I was the one chosen to receive the death doll. That was what was annoying me the most. What did I do to deserve something like that? If Koori was dead, I assumed I wasn't going to find out the answer. But it seemed that the evil, little bitch was still around. Or was I imagining that as well?

It was too complicated to even begin to fathom. Shikyo was gone. I had nothing to worry about anymore. I wasn't that stupid. I knew that when I went back to my room, she would there. It sucked but that was the harsh reality I didn't want to accept. Did I have to pack her up and send her to someone else? No, I wouldn't wish this sort of curse on anyone. Not even the Council. What was I thinking? I had to find out who Koori was and find out what her problem was with me.

I stood and brushed the dirt off my pants. I turned to go back inside when Zero's voice floated to my ears. "What the hell, Yuuki? What are you doing with that hideous thing?" It didn't take a genius to know they had found Shikyo.

"I just found it outside. I wonder if Kaname-senpai knows she's missing. Oh look! Her sleeve has a tear in it. I think I can repair that." Was that an echo in Yuuki's voice?

I went inside. I could talk to her before she finished her night duties. I went to my room and made myself a blood tablet and water tonic, drinking it quickly. That really was one of the vilest tastes I would never forget. With the drink finished, I got dressed for classes and collected my books. My eyes were drawn to Shikyo's coffin. I stared at the red satin that had been her bed for god knows how long. I did the clasp on my book carrier and picked it up.

I looked up when my door opened and Senri walked in, Shikyo in his hand. He placed the doll on my desk and stared at me with dull eyes. I could swear he was angrier than he let show. "Keep your toys to yourself. I'm getting sick of Takuma freaking out because you can't keep a better leash on that freak."

Shikyo's eyes flickered to Senri as the vampire turned and left my room. I watched him go before I lowered my gaze to the doll. She was smiling back at me, her eyes where they should be. Maybe I should call in sick tonight and try to get some rest. I looked at her left sleeve and saw that it was torn. I was insane. I left the room, knowing that I didn't have to apologise to Takuma or Senri, though I wouldn't mind an apology from my cousin. Sometimes, Takuma could be a bit of a handful so I didn't blame Senri for getting annoyed with me and my doll. Hell, I was getting annoyed with my doll.

I nodded at Seiren and she disappeared. It was good to know she knew exactly what it was that I was after and if anyone could find it, it would be her. I joined the others downstairs. Aidou seemed to have calmed down after the little episode that happened in his room the previous night. None of them were going to say what they were all thinking out of fear they might sound insane. If any of them were to say they believed Shikyo was responsible for it, they didn't know I would agree with them completely. Shikyo reminded me a doll I saw once in the window of a shop. Or maybe I saw a doll similar to her in a movie. I couldn't have seen her in a shop window.

The others gathered their books we stepped out of the dorm. The fan girls sounded extra excitable that day or maybe it was because I was nearly dead tired that they seemed louder than usual. The gates opened and Yuuki tried to keep them at bay, while Zero glared from his post. It was nice to know that he was trying his hardest to make sure none of them broke protocol. I glanced at him and he met my eyes. There was a flash in the lilac pools that made me smile. I could've imagined it but at that moment, I didn't care. I thanked Yuuki for her hard work and she blushed. Such an adorable girl, I couldn't help but think with a small spark of pride.

"Oh! Kaname-senpai!" I stopped and faced Yuuki as she grinned at me. "I found your doll. I took her to the Headmaster's house to fix her sleeve for you."

This time there was no echo in her voice. It had to be a side-effect of being around Shikyo. Unfortunately, Yuuki was perfect for possession. She had no internal protection from evil spirits and it wasn't something Zero or I could protect her from. I smiled at her. "Thank you, Yuuki. I think I should worry about that, though." I ruffled her hair tenderly and continued on way.

We got to class and took our seats. I found myself staring out the window immediately. I knew I wouldn't be able to concentrate on the lessons even if my life depended on it. Thankfully, that wasn't the case. How did I know what Koori looked like if I had never met her before? That dream had felt too real to be only a dream. Something was really off. Why had Koori glared at me, as though everything was my fault? I had never met her until then.

My eyes were drawn to movement in the trees. Koori walked between them, flickering in and out of existence. She held Shikyo by a foot as she walked. Her grey eyes were on me; again, accusing me of something I didn't remember doing. "This old man, he played one, he played knick-knack on my tongue," I murmured to myself, getting Takuma's attention.

"Is something wrong, Kaname-sama?" he whispered to me.

I shook my head. "No, Takuma," I lied. He had the good sense not to call my bluff and I went back to staring at the trees. Koori had disappeared and there wasn't really anything that I could do about that. I could only hope that Seiren found what I needed to get rid of the creepy little girl and her doll. I wasn't expecting it to be easy – I knew better than that.

* * *

_I was back in that room. Did I fall asleep during class? That didn't seem like me and yet, right now, I needed as much rest as I could possible get. The disembowelled cat was on the bed, again, hissing at me. Its ears were folded back and I raised an eyebrow. That cat was scared of me? What about the doll? It didn't seem to have a problem with that. And how was it even alive with a gash in it like that? That was the least of my problems._

"_This old man…"_

_I looked at the desk and Koori was seated there once more. She was facing me, in her white dress and the blood stains on it. Shikyo was in her lap, smiling at me inertly. Koori held something in her hands, which was hidden from my sight but she smiled as she raised them. It was almost as though she was daring me to have a look and something was telling me to let it be and ignore it. Sometimes common sense was an ability that everyone lacked at one time or another in their life. I just wished it hadn't been this time for me._

"…_he played one…"_

_Koori's eyes began to change from a little girl's to that of an evil and hateful monster. Her innocent smile turned into a cruel and twisted smirk. It was upsetting to see that this little girl had been corrupted by the malevolence that was Shikyo. Is that what that doll did? Found innocent, little girls and tried to turn them into some sort of creature of her devices? That was probably the most insane thought I'd had since I'd received Shikyo but I wasn't going to rule anything out until I had all of the facts._

"…_he played knick-knack and…"_

_As slowly as the song was progressing, Koori was opening her hands to reveal the secret she had hidden in them. With the way she was morphing, I knew I didn't want to see what she was holding. Shikyo continued to sit in her previous owner's lap without a care. My heart thumped in my chest with anxiety. Did I want to know what had happened this time? Last time, it was fine. All that went wrong was Aidou's cabinet breaking. Maybe it was something like that. Something not as bad as my imagination was thinking._

"…_ripped out _his_ tongue."_

_A short cry of surprise left my mouth as I saw someone's tongue in her small hands. There were screams of shock and fear around me and the scent of Noble blood filled the air. I looked at the mirror on the vanity and saw that Takuma had his hands over his mouth. I glared at Koori and Shikyo. Koori smirked back and Shikyo still had that lifeless smile on her perfectly painted face. What was wrong with them? Takuma had done nothing to them. Why attack him?_

"_Life is divine – your life will be mine," an older female voice whispered._

* * *

I woke with a start and looked around. Senri was shaking my shoulder, emotion showing in his usually bleak eyes. That was the most fucked up dream I could ever remember having. Wait a minute. Senri? It was a dream, right? That's all it was, right? I threw back the covers of my bed and followed my cousin out of my room and down the hall. The scent of fresh blood hit me before I got near Takuma's room.

I stepped in and the others looked at me. They were expecting answers but I had none. What could I say? 'Oh, don't worry, my loyal followers. I have dreams where I can see what will happen. Takuma, I'm sorry you lost your tongue.'? No, I couldn't say that. I couldn't answer any of their questions. I didn't even remember heading from class to my room or even falling asleep. Instead, I decided to ask some questions of my own. I needed to know if anyone knew what had happened.

"Can anyone tell me anything?" I turned to Senri. He shared a room with Takuma. He _had_ to know something. "Can you recall what happened?"

Senri shook his head. "No. I was having a shower when it happened. Is he going to bleed to death?"

"He's not human, so no." My eyes roamed the rest of the Nobles that were in the room. "Did anyone see anything or hear anything before you caught the scent of the blood?" They shook their heads and I lowered my eyes. "Senri, keep a close eye on him. He's going to be needing blood when he wakes up. The rest of you, search the grounds. See if you can find his tongue. Maybe we can reattach it somehow."

Everyone nodded and went about their orders. I returned to my room, surprised to see Zero in there. He stared at me with grim eyes and that was enough to know he came bearing bad news. I sighed and closed the door. What could be worse than finding out that my second-in-command just had his tongue ripped out? I hoped nothing had happened to Yuuki. Zero shook his head and I sighed in relief. At least that was one worry I could mark off. So why was the hunter in my room?

"Is something wrong, Zero?" I inquired as I looked at my desk. Shikyo was standing on it, smiling at me innocently. I knew she was somehow responsible for what had happened to my friend and when I found out how to make her stop, I was going to take great pleasure in making sure it was a long and painful process for her.

"I…saw something, earlier on patrol."

My head snapped to Zero. Did he see Koori in the forest? Was Zero her next victim? Were Koori and Shikyo trying to take away everyone I cared about? I looked at the chess board and saw that one of my pawns had been removed from the game. I went back to gazing at Zero. I could worry about my chess game in a few minutes. "What did you see, Zero?"

Zero shifted nervously on my bed and got to his feet. "A little girl, wearing the same dress as your doll. The only difference was she had red curls, instead of black and grey eyes instead of blue. She was humming an old nursery rhyme. When I called out to her, she looked at me and it wasn't a little girl I was talking to…" As he spoke, Zero walked to random places in my room, running his hands through his hair.

"You saw Koori?"

"_That_ was Koori? What is she doing here?" Zero frowned as though he was trying to remember something. "Is she here to take Shikyo back? I saw her holding the doll."

How was I going to explain this one? "I don't think it was entirely Koori, Zero."

Zero looked at me and tilted his head slightly. "You mean there's something else out there that took on her form? Or was it something that possessed her spirit?"

I blinked. "You've given this more thought than I have. Unfortunately, I haven't had much time to think about it but I have sent Seiren to gather as much information as she can about Koori and Shikyo."

Zero nodded and took his place on my bed again. "I smelt blood when I came in. Whose was it and what happened? There was a lot of it, I know that much. It was as though someone's throat had been slit."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. Talking about it was worse than I thought it was going to be. "It was Takuma's blood." Zero inclined his head. "Someone or thing…ripped his tongue out."

Zero stared at me blankly for a moment and then his eyes widened. "You mean…?" I nodded. "You…How? How could someone or thing do that? Takuma would have to have had his mouth open for quite a while for them to reach in and rip it out. Did anyone see or hear anything?"

I shook my head. "His roommate was having a shower when it happened and it was called to the other's attention when they smelt the blood."

"Is he going to be okay?"

I went over to Zero and hugged him. I knew he didn't give a damn about Takuma but it was nice of him to ask. "I hope so. He won't bleed to death but I get the feeling he might drain Senri when he wakes."

Zero pulled me onto the bed and changed our positions. He held me tightly. Even though it wasn't like him to be this sentimental, I accepted it. It had only been four days but I needed the strength. If things continued on like this, I didn't know what I was going to do. I closed my eyes and enjoyed Zero's scent. I opened them and glanced at my desk. My eyes didn't leave my bed though as Shikyo was sitting on it. I jumped slightly at her being so close so suddenly and Zero cursed when he saw it.

"Fuck! Not only is it creepy but it's ugly, too! Why is it on the bed?" Zero let go of me and picked up Shikyo.

"Don't annoy her, Zero," I said, sitting up and taking Shikyo off him. I knew it was insane to blame the doll for what had happened to Takuma, as there was no blood on her white dress, but I wasn't going to have anything happen to Zero. I didn't want Yuuki to have to worry.

"It's a doll, Kaname. What's the worst it could do to me?" Zero raised an eyebrow and I didn't have an answer for him. I just hoped that the worst Shikyo could to do wasn't what I was thinking.

* * *

End Chapter II.

Thank you to those who have reviewed, added to favourites and alerted this story. I hope this chapter was worth the wait.

If you have any thoughts or comments, please feel free to drop me a line.

Update: My dearest reviewers, saying that you hope something bad will not happen to someone is more of an incentive for me do something horrible to them. If there is someone you don't like and want to see something bad happen to them, say you hope nothing bad will happen to them and I'll work it into the next chapter or the one after.  
Thank you and please enjoy your day or night and always remember...Koori and Shikyo can be anywhere, at anytime.


	4. Chapter III

**~Before I Wake~**

**Author:  
**Danaeyl Panthernopaeus.

**Author's Note****: **  
Slight crossover. It was about the only way I could make it happen and it was only thing that came to me.

* * *

**Day Five – Wednesday.**

I didn't get any more sleep the previous night. At the moment, I was scared to sleep and my worry for Takuma's health wasn't helping. I sat beside his bed and listening to his laboured breathing. Senri hovered behind me, anxiously awaiting the blond's awakening. The others were in their rooms but from the amount of movement, it would appear none of them were sleeping, either. I had no doubt that the others were just as scared as I was. Who was next?

Takuma hadn't done anything that would constitute having his tongue ripped out as punishment. I had asked Zero to stay with Yuuki and for neither of them to be alone, even if it was a trip to the bathroom. I wasn't going to take anymore chances. I had given the same orders to my inner circle and the other vampires. No-one had any idea what Shikyo or Koori was capable of. I still didn't know which of them were responsible for Takuma's suffering.

We hadn't been able to find his tongue and I had searched my room and office. It was nice to know that the horror of what had happened was the reason none of others went into a bloodlust. I was thankful for that small miracle. Shikyo appeared to still be in my room as I hadn't heard a scream yet. Koori wasn't around, either so I was going to assume that removing Takuma's tongue by force was enough for them for one night.

I glanced at Senri. The guy looked as though he had been dragged through a hedge backwards and was hit by a truck. He really looked worse than Takuma. I got to my feet. "I'm going to check on the others. Can you watch over Takuma until I return?"

Senri nodded and I left the room. I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was wrong. Someone was doing something. As long as it wasn't Aidou or Ruka. Those two were probably crazy enough to try and conjure Shikyo and banish her. Now why didn't I think of that before? Probably because I don't know what's possessing Shikyo or why Koori was still around. Damn it! Where did I know her from? That was driving me more batty than thinking that a doll was attacking everyone I held dear.

Aidou and Ruka weren't doing anything suspicious, which was a good thing. The others were talking quietly to their roommates, trying to comfort the other. Maybe this crisis would bring us all closer together. I checked my room and saw Shikyo standing beside my chess board. I narrowed my eyes and stepped closer, seeing that another of my pawns had been removed from the game. No-one had been hurt though. How could I have lost another player?

"_This old man…_"

Oh god no.

"…_he played two…_"

What could she possible do this time? I spun around, my eyes scanning my room. Koori wasn't anywhere to be seen but she could be heard as though she was standing right next to me. Who was she after this time? No-one had done anything to her or Shikyo. Sure, Takuma might have called Shikyo freaky looking and very creepy but that was to be expected.

"Kaname-sama?" Ruka asked as she knocked on the door.

What the hell did I tell them? I told them not to leaving their roommate alone! "Ruka, return to your room. I told you not to be alone or leave your roommate on their own."

"…_he played knick-knack…_"

"I need to speak to you, Kaname-sama and Rima is with Shiki."

What in the world could we possibly have to talk about? I couldn't let Ruka into my room; not while Koori was about to hurt someone. I flinched slightly. What was going on? That was the sound of glass cracking when it was under a lot of strain. The high-pitch of the noise was almost deafening. "Ruka, get Rima and return to your room. Whatever you need to speak to me about can wait until later."

"Kaname-sama! Your doll was in my bed!"

I looked down at the chess board and saw that Shikyo was missing. Did that mean that Ruka was the next victim? Well, it was time to put my pawn back into play. "Ruka, leave Shikyo by my door and return to your room with Rima, please."

I could sense Ruka's hesitation but for her sake, I hoped that she would listen and do as she was told. "As you wish, Kaname-sama."

I heard her retreating footsteps and looked around my room. "You didn't win this time, Koori or Shikyo or whoever you are." I sighed and sat down on the sofa.

"…_and ran _her_ through."_

There was a piercing, shattering sound, a scream and I got to my feet and ran out of the room. I went to the room that Ruka shared with Rima. Noble blood scented the dorm heavily again. Rima was fine but Ruka had several, large shards of glass impaling her body, in major veins and arteries. Shikyo sat on the bedside chest, smiling motionlessly at everyone that was in the room. And everyone in the room, unfortunately, consisted of Rima, Ruka, Aidou and Kain.

I stepped over to Ruka and looked at the glass. Her head had almost been decapitated, with the two shards on either side of her throat, cutting through the internal and external jugular. The right and left innominate, the axillaries, superior and inferior vena cava, the basilic, the brachial, the femoral, posterior and anterior tibial were also punctured. Needless to say, Ruka, sadly, looked like a voo-doo doll. If we removed the glass, she would bleed out in seconds and it would probably take her weeks to heal, if not months.

Her eyelids fluttered and her mouth opened and closed. There was the possibility of taking her to the hospital but that would call unwanted attention to the school and I don't think the Headmaster would appreciate that, somehow. I looked up at the other three. "We're going to be needing bed sheets and a lot of them." The others nodded and ran from the room. They returned seconds later and waited for the next command. "When I remove the glass, we're going to have to apply a lot of pressure to the wounds in the hopes they won't bleed as much."

They nodded robotically. Rima and Kain knelt opposite of me and Aidou was beside me. I looked at Rima, who was taking shaky breaths to calm herself. I lowered my eyes to the shards and with as much care as possible in this sort of situation, I removed the two that were in Ruka's neck. Blood spurted up from the wounds and some gurgled up her throat as she tried to get the energy to scream. Rima wrapped the sheet around Ruka's neck and applied pressure. I couldn't even begin to imagine the pain that Ruka was going through. It made me question myself – am I really doing the right thing?

Making sure the others couldn't sense my nervousness, I leaned over Ruka's body and began removing the on her left side as quickly as possible. Her body twitched and the crimson liquid flowed freely until Kain covered them. God only knew what kind of damage the glass would've done to her nerves. With her left side taken care of, I looked at the two shards that were in the centre. The lower one, the one in the inferior vena cava would've stopped the blood to her lower body. I removed the shard that was lodged in her chest and Aidou was prepared.

I took a deep breath and gripped the shard that was in the inferior vena cava. I snatched my hand away suddenly as Ruka let out a scream. The blood that had been gathering in her throat exploded onto her face. I knew that it was going to agonizing to remove that piece; the tip of it was scratching along one of her vertebrae. My hand was shaking during to the adrenaline and because of that, every time I touched the glass, it would cause vibrations through the shard and onto her spine. I looked at her bloodied face and saw the tears that were falling from her eyes. The more I touched the shard, the more I etched on the bone. The feel of it was churning my stomach and making bile rise.

Without hesitation, Kain gripped the shard and removed it. Ruka's hand nearly crushed mine as she reached for something to hold onto. I looked at Kain, who couldn't meet my eyes. He probably thought that I was annoyed at him for acting so brazen. I wasn't. It was the total opposite. If he hadn't been able to do it, we could've easily been there all night. Ruka's grasp relaxed and with ease, I removed the remaining glass from her body. We picked her up and placed her on the bed.

Kain offered to look after her and Rima, while Aidou actually offered to clean up the mess that was made from the breaking of the window. I nodded at them and picked up Shikyo. Ruka's congealed blood on my hands made the material of doll's dress stick to it and stain. I didn't care at that moment. I was more worried about which one of my friends was going to be next. Why were they going after my friends? I couldn't remember doing something to someone to make them want to hurt me this way. It wasn't often that I was wrong but I was really hoping I was just a random pick.

**Day Five – Thursday.**

I laid on the sofa, my arm over my eyes as I got a few minutes of rest. I had asked the Chairman to stop classes for the Night Class and he agreed to it, upon explanation of what had happened to two of the Nobles. He also offered to help me find out why I was sent a doll or how the delivery company got it to me without alerting anyone to their presence. I hadn't even thought of that. I knew it was weird for someone to deliver something that late at night but I didn't stop to think about them getting to the school without one of the prefects seeing them.

I was eagerly awaiting Seiren's return with _any_ information of what was happening, how it was happening and why it was happening. I'm a damn pureblood and I was letting some creepy girl and her toy get to me like this? I don't think so. The less I tried to think about it the more it came to my mind. I couldn't remove the image of Ruka, either. Laying there, all those shards in her body. The blood. There was so much blood. It scared me to think of how much she lost as I was trying to save her. She was slightly more stable but it was taking a while for her veins and arteries to reattach to each other. She was in a coma.

I removed my arm and stared up at the ceiling. Who was going to be next? I was petrified to know what was going to the next victim. There were so many to choose from, still. Koori was one twisted little girl. Some of the methods she came up with sounded like something the Spanish Inquisition would be proud of and I couldn't believe I just gave her credit for attacking the people I was slowly beginning to call my 'friends'. I sat up and stared at the chess board.

I checked the other pieces and saw that my queen had been moved. She wasn't put in any sort of danger and in fact, she was being protected from all angles. I think it was safe to say that Koori and Shikyo weren't planning on doing anything to her. It stung to lose two of my pawns, though. I would have to make up for those mistakes. I stood abruptly and stared out the window as a murder of black birds flew past the window. That was a little eerie.

I stepped closer to the window and frowned as I looked out. Was that Kain and Aidou? What were they doing? I ordered them _not_ to leave the dorm. I knew it would feel as though they were suffocating but that was the price one had to pay for protection. I looked back at the sofa and saw that Shikyo was missing. My attention was drawn to the path that Kain and Aidou were walking. Koori stood there, grinning up at me, Shikyo in her hand. She flickered in and out for a few seconds before she disappeared.

My heart thumped in my chest as I ran out of the dorm. For once, why couldn't they listen to my orders? I expected nothing less from Aidou but on the other hand, Kain was his cousin. Did they really think I wouldn't notice they were missing? What was so damned important they had to break the rules and go wandering around the forest in the middle of the night? Once outside, an owl hooted noisily before it also took flight. Small critters scampered around, trying to find some shelter from the evil and I could sense it something shocking.

The other times Koori had appeared, there was no aura around, except that of an anguished soul. It seemed that whatever was possessing her to do these things and keeping her from going to the light was becoming more and more powerful. I ran towards Aidou and Kain, ignoring the splintering shriek that was coming from somewhere _very_ close by. I called out to the Nobles and they paused, looking over their shoulders. Something else caught Kain's eye and he turned, walking up to one of the trees and picking up Shikyo. He brushed off her dress.

"_This old man…_"

Oh, no. It was starting and I wasn't going to lose someone else. "Get back to the dorm, _now_," I ordered, rather calmly too. I impressed myself.

"…_he played three…_"

Aidou and Kain nodded. They apparently couldn't hear the ghostly singing. As they walked past me, Kain handed Shikyo to me and the splintering got louder. Seeing as Kain saw her, did that mean that he was going to be next? I followed them, my eyes darting around to make sure that Koori didn't try to do something.

"…_he played knick-knack…_"

She was going to try something. I picked up my pace so I was beside Kain and Aidou was on his other side. I wasn't going to take anymore chances. I looked up as there were screeches from the black birds that had drawn my attention to Aidou and Kain before. In a swarm they descended on us. I released my aura and they scattered like cockroaches when a light was turned on. The only thing that was left of them was the few feathers that were floating to the earth.

"…_and took out _his_ knees…_"

"Akatsuki!" Aidou called out as he was pushed to the side. How had we gotten separated?

I dropped Shikyo and removed Kain from the path of the falling tree. It crashed down behind us and I held back a flinch. That would've no doubt woken the entire Day Class. My eyes flashed and the tree turned into dust. That was too easy. Even Kain could've gotten out of the way of that tree. What else was Koori planning on doing?

"Thank you, Kaname-sama." I inclined my head at the fire-starter to let him know I heard.

"Are you both okay?" Aidou asked, looking us over. We nodded and continued on our way to the dorm.

Before entering, I looked over my shoulder. Koori was standing there, Shikyo in her hand as she scowled at me. If she had grown up, she would've been a beautiful girl. Her scowl turned into a smile and she disappeared. My head snapped up and I ran into the dorm, looking around for Kain. I didn't know what she was going to do but whatever it was, it had something to do with the most used joint in the human body and I couldn't let Kain lose his knees.

I ran up the stairs and into the room the cousins shared. I made it in time to see Kain's bed shatter and for two pieces of large oak to go through the fire starter's knees. My eyes widened and my mouth went slack. I never would've thought to do it that way. It was strange and the way it was done made it look like a freak accident. It wasn't completely improbable for it to have happened but it seemed _impossible_. I went over to Kain and looked at the wood.

Why me? What the hell did I ever do to Koori to make her want to hurt my friends? I gripped one of the stakes and pulled it out. Noble blood filled the air again and it was a scent I was getting too accustomed to. Almost to the point where I wasn't certain if I could go another day without smelling the sweet scent of blood throughout the dorm. I looked down at Kain's face. He was in shock, staring at the ceiling and his mouth forming words but there wasn't any sound.

I looked up and stepped back. What the hell is Shizuka doing here? And why is she holding Shikyo? I glanced back at Kain and his eyes were closed. His breathing was shallow and I quickly removed the other stake that was in his knee. It was going to take months for his body to repair the practically missing bones. I shook my head. I had to find a way of stopping this before someone I _really_ cared about was on the receiving end of Koori's wrath.

After Aidou and I had done the best we could to stop the bleeding I went to my room and threw myself on the bed, closing my eyes. Shikyo was on the bedside chest but I didn't care. I fell into a deep slumber and I could care less if a bomb went off and killed everyone. I was too exhausted. I dreamt about Zero and Yuuki. The two people I was trying my hardest to protect. Yuuki was talking to Koori and I was yelling at her to stop it but my voice left me. Zero was standing to the side, in front of a broken window with Shizuka behind him, embracing him.

In the middle of the destroyed room my inner circle hung from the ceiling. Their blood trickled to the floor and I tilted my head. What the hell was going on? On the floor was Shikyo. She stood there. Her stained dress shimmered in the full moon's light. She smiled at me and I stepped closer to her. I crouched down and stared into her cold, dead eyes. I frowned and spun around.

I was in a street. At least a decade ago because that street no longer existed. There was me, standing in front of a store that sold porcelain dolls. All of them stared back at me with their unblinking eyes. Hikari's Dolls. I remembered that place. It was, once upon a time, the _best_ place to get whatever doll you wanted. If they didn't have in, they would make it. Their artwork was astounding. Everything they made was amazing. Their attention to detail was unrivalled. And in the shop was Shikyo before she was changed. Her auburn hair gleamed in the afternoon sun and her gray eyes sparkled happily.

I stepped closer to the window and studied her. How had her hair become black and her eyes blue? I watched as a younger version of me went into the store and spoke with the owner. No, it wasn't the owner. It was the owner's 'angel'. Apparently the owner was a little insane and I didn't know that at the time. His gold eyes were as dead as Shikyo's, which seemed a little upsetting. He was the first guy I ever thought of as enchantingly beautiful. And when I think about it now, he's still only the first guy. Zero's handsome and the other vampires are very good looking. But for some reason, that guy's description was just enchantingly beautiful.

Little me pointed out Shikyo and he stepped around the counter and picked up the doll, handing it to me. His eyes flashed with mischief and for some reason that unnerved me. "Take good care of her and treat her like a queen. Don't you know that dolls have a life of their own?"

"I intend to give her as a gift," I said as I gently took her from his hands. "She looks identical to the girl I'll be handing her over to."

A smile crossed the 'angel's' lips. "Shikyo is different from other dolls, Kaname-kun."

My head snapped up. How did he know my name? "How do you know my name?"

The man looked me over and then looked at where I was standing, a smirk curving up the corners of his mouth. "Monsters have a habit of finding each other. Right, vampire?"

I looked over my shoulder but the small version of me and myself were the only customers. Did he do that when we met for the first time? "How is Shikyo different from other dolls, sir?"

"Call me 'sir' again and I'll snap your neck." He said it as casual as one asking for the time. I was impressed that he could make threats so easily and to a child. He was beautiful but a monster. "Shikyo might look like the little girl you're going to give her to now and to you but everyone views death differently." He put Shikyo in her black, glass coffin and wrapped it with brown paper and tired it with string of the same colour. "The little girl will see her differently. It's strange, though. That you view a little girl as death." He handed the package over. "You'll be her first owner."

"I'm not buying her for me, though."

"You're not buying her – you're taking her. As soon as you hold something it becomes your possession, even if you do pass it on. You own her. And believe me; these dolls have a bad habit of going back to their first owners. You might even view her differently when she appears to you again." He took hold of my chin and tilted my head up. "Your life just got more fucked up. Now piss off. I'm bored with you."

I stepped back and stared at him. "What's your name?"

He snorted as he turned his back to me and rearranged something behind the counter. "Which one? I've many names. Demonic angel. Homicidal angel. Angel from hell. Spawn of Satan. Somehow I got the nickname 'Fluffy'. I'm still trying to figure that one out. My enemy calls me Krad, though."

"Krad…I'll have to remember that so I can punish you for the disrespect you've shown me." I gripped the package tighter and left the store. I looked through the window and Krad stared back with eyes daring me to return when I was older. The nicknames he had didn't scare me but…It didn't matter. That memory explained more about Shikyo and that was what I needed.

I woke up. I was on my back and Shikyo was on my chest. She had changed again and was now as she was when I first got her. Krad wasn't lying – she did find her way back to me and that was a little scary. I sat up and put the doll on the bed, running my hands through my hair. Why name her Shikyo? I looked up when someone walked into my room without knocking. I stared at Zero as he came over to the bed and sat on the edge of it.

"Is something wrong, Zero?"

Zero nodded. "I woke up from my usual nightly nap and saw that little girl again, holding your death dolly. I just wanted to let you know that by accepting that gift, you've managed to brutally hurt three of your inner circle and while I don't give a flying fuck about that, I'm scared that it'll hurt Yuuki or worse, me."

I frowned. Zero was scared of something happening to him? More like he was scared of something happening to him and it not killing him. "I promise nothing will happen to you or Yuuki, Zero. If it was going to it would've happened by now. Koori and Shikyo are just toying with me and I gotta try and hunt down a demonic angel."

"What?" Zero leaned over and pressed his hand to my forehead. "You don't feel warm. What the fuck are you talking about, then? There's no such thing as a demonic angel, Kaname. That's an oxymoron."

"You really think I don't know that?" I sighed and shook my head. "I had a dream –"

"Back up a second, Freud."

I growled. "It was more like a memory, though," I grinded out. "The store owner described himself as a demonic angel when he gave me Shikyo."

"Hikari Dolls, right? Cross tracked them down. Turns out that the owner's son – a fourteen year old boy – killed himself that year and that caused the shop to go out of business. It turns out that the Hikari line is filled with suicides of fourteen year old boys. Makes you wonder what they were going through."

"A demonic angel by the name of Krad." I got to my feet and went to the en suite; Zero following.

"How can you be so certain of that, Kaname?" Zero sat on the chair in the room, watching as I undressed and got the shower going.

"I met him, Krad. He called himself a monster and I get the feeling he's that way because of the Hikari line. If they're anything like…So he's the curse they talk about. Anyway, I need to find him so he can do something about Shikyo. She seems to think I'm her owner, even though I gave up ownership when I handed her to Koori." I stepped into the shower and Zero got to his feet, standing beside the open door.

"So you remember who Koori is now? Seriously, I leave for a day and you've got this mystery wrapped up, huh?"

I could feel Zero's eyes on my body and I got the feeling that once I returned Shikyo to her creator he would want some alone time. "I haven't wrapped it up. I don't know why Koori has attached herself to the doll or how it got back to me. I bought that thing over a decade ago. I also want to know why Koori is going after my friends." I rinsed my hair and body and turned the water off. "What did I do to Koori to make her this vengeful?"

Zero shrugged and stepped to the side. "Maybe you killed a vampire that was her friend or something. The only way you'll find out is if she tells you. And honestly, I don't think she's in a talking mood at the moment."

I finished drying my body and glanced at the hunter. "I know. She's going to have to tell me eventually what I did, though."

Zero nodded and left the bathroom. He stepped back in, his eyes still in the room. "I think now will your time to interrogate her," he said and I sighed.

I wrapped the towel around my waist and left the bathroom, staring at the little girl that was sitting on my bed. She looked up at me and smiled. "Hi, Kuran-sama!" she greeted happily.

"Good evening, Koori-kun." My eyes lowered to her lap, where Shikyo sat. "What brings you here?"

Koori lost her smile and glared at me. "You know exactly why I'm here. You killed my aunt and because of your hideous gift to me, my friends and family were brutally injured."

"Koori-kun, I didn't know that Shi –"

"Yes you did! How does it feel, Kuran? To be helpless when your friends are being injured. To know what's doing the damage but not being able to say anything because you know everyone will think you're insane? It's a horrible and lonely feeling, isn't it? My parents locked me away out of fear. That didn't stop Shikyo, though. The only person that believed me was my aunt. I found out that when she heard of my suicide, she went insane."

My eyes widened. "Hio Shizuka is your aunt?"

"_Was_ my aunt. Until you killed her! She was only misunderstood and her family locks her away, like mine did with me. Shikyo let me out, though. Several times. So I could see what she'd done to my family. She killed Shiro!" Koori got to her feet, shaking Shikyo in front of her. "Because of _you_, Kuran! Why couldn't you have gotten me a pot plant or something? Why did you have to get me a cursed doll? And what was with your weird note? 'Don't you know that dolls have a life of their own?'."

I frowned slightly. "No, that's what you wrote in your letter to me. It's on my desk. How did you know I was here?"

Koori blinked and took in her surroundings. "Isn't this one of the Kuran mansions?"

"This is a school, Koori-kun."

"How was I meant to know that? I killed myself when I was eight and that was over a decade ago! Shikyo must've gotten lost in transit or something. Either way, you're the reason that my aunt isn't around anymore."

"And your aunt is the reason this boy's family isn't around," I said as I pulled Zero closer. "She even turned him into the thing he hates the most. Wasn't that sweet of her? She then tried to use my sister against me and him. We also then found out –"

"Sister?" Zero interjected.

"Not the time or place, Zero. We also then found out that his brother had been the one that sent your bat-shit crazy aunt over to his house to wipe out the family. He thought that your psycho-freak aunt killed his twin, only to find out that he was alive. So forgive me if I didn't feel too much remorse when I took her life."

Koori stared at me then at Zero. "She really killed your family? Why would she do something like that? She always said that family was what mattered the most. No." She shook her head. "You're lying! Both of you!"

"Just what we need," Zero muttered. "A hysterical ghost that can send a psychotic doll after us. Do something, Kaname."

I thought quickly and the only thing I could think of was something I didn't want to do. "We have to find the demonic angel. He created – or someone he knew seven years ago – the doll. He knew back then what she represented. So by logic he should know how to settle her down."

"Okay." Zero nodded. "That takes care of the freaky ass doll. What about the hysterical, psycho freak of a little girl?"

"You guys do know I can hear you, right?" Koori asked.

"Hush, little girl. The grown ups are talking," I told her. She pouted and sat on my bed, picking up Shikyo and brushing her hair from her face. "Obviously Koori wants to kill me for what I did to her aunt, even though it was the best for the world that she died. So, we hunt down the angel tomorrow and get him to take care of Shikyo, and then we worry about Koori."

"Sounds great. Why tomorrow?"

"It's twelve-thirty at night, Zero and I'm dead tired." I turned to Koori, who gazed at me with her big eyes. "Koori, I'm going to go to sleep now. If you want to hang around, you can. I just ask that you don't hurt any more of my chess pieces as I need them in the future."

Koori tilted her head as she thought. "Okay. Tonight only, though. Later today I go back to harming them so you can continue to feel the pain I've gone through."

"Thank you." I looked at Zero. "I'll collect you when I'm ready to leave. You won't believe this guy. He's scary." Zero nodded and bid each other a goodnight. I went under the covers of my bed, not bothering to change or anything. I was too tired to worry about something like that. Especially with the huge day I had ahead of me.

* * *

End Chapter III.

Much thanks to everyone who has reviewed and added to their favourites and alert lists! I hope this chapter was worth the wait and if not, I apologise. I ran into a few bumps, mainly with trying to figure out a way that would be logical for Akatsuki to lose his knees.

Anyway, I hope everyone who has read this far will leave me some love in the beautiful form of a review.

Also, I don't know how you'll all deal with this being a slight crossover but I promise that it won't take from the story anymore than it already has. Oh and yes, the next chapter will be the last.  
Oh and please try to ignore all mistakes. I don't have a beta and my eyes deceive me a lot of the time!

Thank you everyone!


	5. Chapter IV

**~Before I Wake~**

**Author: **  
Danaeyl Panthernopaeus.

**Postlude – Friday – A week later…**

I woke around midday and that was good enough for me. I showered quickly, feeling more refreshed. Being able to find that so-called 'demonic angel' had lifted my spirits a great deal. I could get the problem with Shikyo and Koori taken care of, while punishing that blond for the disrespect he had shown me, a decade ago. Things were looking up.

I checked my reflection in the mirror above the basin. I was even looking a lot better. I didn't look drawn and tired. That was another good thing about finding Krad and having him remove whatever curse he had put on the doll. My good mood didn't last long, though. When do good moods ever last? I went into my room and my heart sank when I saw Shikyo on the bed.

So that's why I was in a good mood. I hadn't laid eyes on that damn death doll. I picked her up and went to put her on the bedside chest. My eyes widened and I dropped the doll. Takuma's tongue sat on the dark wood. I had searched my room and office for that. What was it doing on the chest? I stepped over Shikyo and checked the area around the bedside chest. I had no idea what I was looking for. I was fairly certain that the tongue hadn't been there the previous night. Of course, there are times when I'm wrong.

"Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take." I looked over my shoulder as Zero stood there, holding a piece of paper and reading from it. "As soon as you're dressed, we're heading off. What's that?"

My first instinct was to hide the muscle and make up some lie about it. I don't know where that instinct came from. Maybe it was because no-one had seen me searching my room and office. I didn't want to be blamed for Takuma's pain and suffering. That was just silly. Everyone knew that Shikyo and Koori were responsible for the pain that my friends were going through.

"Takuma's tongue," I answered. "I think Shikyo or Koori planted here for me to find." I shook my head. "I can't wait until things go back to normal and Shikyo is longer around." I went to my closet and pulled on clothes for the day. I was excited to get my old life back. The life where I didn't have to worry about which of my friends were going to be next.

"I'm guessing you're going to be leaving shortly, then?" Zero asked as he sat down on my bed.

"I want this over and done with, Zero. I don't want anymore of my vampires getting hurt because a little girl is holding a grudge against me." I picked up Shikyo and placed her back in her black coffin.

I could feel Zero's eyes on me as I wrapped the coffin in the brown paper and tied the string. I wasn't going to walk around with it in my hands so everyone could see it. I grabbed my coat and headed out the door with the package beneath my arm. Zero followed closely. I wasn't sure how we were going to find a store that had gone out of business a decade ago.

I decided to walk. If I called a car to the school it might raise some questions. I wasn't prepared to tell the Headmaster why we were heading out. I was already beginning to think myself insane for blaming the harm of my friends on a doll. I lowered my eyes. Zero wasn't saying anything, and I couldn't think of something sane.

The silence we were in felt strange. I felt as though I wanted to explain that nothing that had happened was my fault. I knew that Zero knew but it didn't change the fact that I was indirectly responsible for it all. I never had to explain myself before, so I had no idea why I felt compelled to explain my situation. I knew that Zero didn't really care what happened to the vampires.

I raised my eyes when Zero sighed. It was obvious there was something on his mind, but I wasn't going to ask. He looked at me oddly. It was like he was looking through me and I glanced over my shoulder. There was nothing there. I don't know what he was seeing. It could be possible that Koori had manifested for his eyes only. But it was me she was after.

Of course, if she really wanted to get to me, she would know to go through Zero or Yuuki. I was grateful that everything was going to be back to normal. Looking after my vampires, as well as Yuuki and Zero would be too stressful. I had too many things to worry about.

The walk was tedious. It was three hours of an overwrought silence. I found it to be silly. I couldn't understand why I was so...nervous. I didn't understand much of anything. I hadn't seen Koori once. I was hoping that she was with us, instead of hanging around the school, injuring some innocent. I shuddered to think of what else she could do.

Finally, we arrived at the store. I looked through the dusty windows and saw someone sitting on the counter. I tried the door and was surprised to find it unlocked. I pushed it open with ease and stepped in; Zero followed. I looked around the store. There were destroyed bodies of other dolls. There were heads laying around and dresses. I could imagine what the owner must have gone through when his son died.

I looked at the person on the counter. Bright gold eyes met mine and Krad smirked. My heart picked up speed as he got to his feet. None of the dust or dirt on the counter looked disturbed and Krad's white pants were still pristine. He circled him and stopped behind Zero, who was staring at a shelf that held broken dolls. He didn't seem to sense Krad.

"I'm surprised it took you this long, vampire. I really thought you would have put the pieces together in a day. It took Koori appearing for you put them all together. How sad." Krad pouted mockingly at me before he stood behind the counter.

I flashed back to ten years ago. There was something about the way that Krad held himself that made a shiver run down my spine. I placed the package on the counter. "I'm returning this. I don't want whatever curse you have put on it. I don't want whatever little girl is haunting it to continue hurting my friends."

Zero straightened and looked over his shoulder. "Who are you talking to, Kaname?" he asked as he stood beside me. He looked over the counter and then stared at me. "Why are you acting so strange?"

I frown at his questions. Could he not see Krad? The blond was standing right in front of him and he couldn't see him? I wasn't the one that was acting strange. I didn't know what to say. "I'm talking to the demonic angel that we came here to see."

Krad snickered as he sat on the counter again. He licked Zero's cheek, who didn't feel it. He didn't even sense it. I growled at the golden blond and pulled Zero away. I didn't want my lover anywhere near that psychopath. I didn't care what plans Krad had made to screw with me. I wasn't going to let him win. He had barely won the round of selling Shikyo to me.

Zero raised an eyebrow. "Seriously, Kaname, what has gotten into you? I know that you're in a weird place and you probably don't understand what's going on ––"

I shook my head. "You're the one that isn't making any sense, Zero. Krad is right in front of you. Why are you pretending that you can't see him?"

Zero searched the area in front of him and bit his lower lip. My eyes lit up. He had seen Krad. He had to have. It was impossible to miss the six foot tall blond that was directly in front of him, smirking. Zero turned to me again and shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about, Kaname. There isn't anyone there. There isn't anyone here but us."

"And Shikyo," I said, pointing to the counter. My eyes widened when the package was missing. I ran over to the counter and looked behind it and under it. "Where is it? What happened to it?"

Krad shrugged as he walked around the store, keeping his eyes on me. I tried to ignore him as best as I could. My heart was pounding in my chest. I couldn't understand what was happening to me. Nothing was making any sense and Zero wasn't helping. There was no doll, which could be a good thing. But where was she? Why wasn't she here? I had too many questions and my head felt like it was about to explode.

"Did she even ever exist?" Krad asked smugly as he appeared in front of me. His white wings appeared behind him and he wrapped them around me. "Is she real, Kaname?" he whispered into my ear. "Or did you kill Koori and her family? Were you the one that hurt your friends? Was Shikyo just an excuse?"

I jerked away from the angel. For a celestial being, he was such a prick. I couldn't understand how something so beautiful could so twisted and demented. Zero eyed me curiously. I ran my hands through my hair and stared at my feet. I knew I had to look a lunatic to Zero. With the way that he was watching me, it was the only thought that could be going through his head.

"Where is Shikyo? Did you move her?" I stared at Zero, hoping, praying that he would tell me that he had accidentally knocked her off the counter. I needed something so I would be so clueless.

Zero closed his eyes. "Kaname," he started slowly. "Who is Shikyo?"

"What?" I demanded. I gripped the front of Zero's shirt. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. She's the doll. The death doll. She was delivered to me at school. I know you know what I'm talking about. You didn't like her. The letter that came with her smelled like cats blood."

"This again?" Zero shook his head and gently removed my hands from his clothing. "Kaname, there is no Shikyo. There never has been. There is no Koori, either."

"But, my friends ––"

"Yes, your friends," Krad cut in as he hovered above us. "What did you do to your friends? What did they do to deserve such harsh punishments from you? I thought you liked your inner circle. They certainly liked you."

"Shut up," I snapped, glaring at the angel. "I didn't do anything to my friends. You know that Shikyo and Koori were responsible for that."

"Were they?" Krad shrugged as he landed soundlessly on the floor. He stepped to the side and on the window; I saw a movie beginning to play.

In it, I was walking through the Moon Dorm. I could hear the shower going and I knew that at that time of night, Shiki was in there. Takuma was alone in the room. I held Shikyo as I knocked on the door to the dorm of my best friend. Takuma opened it and greeted me. I entered and closed the door, placing Shikyo on the bedside chest.

Takuma glanced at the doll. I knew he was frightened of it. _"Is something wrong, Kaname?"_ Takuma asked softly as he sat on his bed, as far away as possible from Shikyo.

I shook my head. _"I just wanted to say something. You don't have to talk, Takuma. I just want you to listen."_ I walked up to him and ran my fingertips along his hairline and around his jaw. _"You have a pretty tongue."_ Takuma frowned and opened his mouth. _"This old man, he played one. He played knick-knack and ripped out _his_ tongue,"_ I chanted as I reached into Takuma's mouth and took hold of the muscle.

Takuma's brilliant green eyes widened in fear and tears filled them. He tried saying something but I hummed over any noise he made. I got a better hold of the tongue and, in one movement, ripped it from his mouth. I snapped his jaw shut so none of the blood would get on me. The little bit that was on my hand, I licked up.

I blinked and the movie stopped, disappeared. I shook my head, trying to clear away the memory of the blood I could taste when I woke up. "No," I said as I stepped back. "That wasn't me! Shikyo and Koori made me do it."

Zero sighed quietly. "Kaname, people do strange things when they're under a lot of stress. You had the Vampire Council breathing down your neck. No-one blames you for any of it."

"Zero, please, it wasn't me that did that! I would never hurt someone I care about." I could see that Zero believed me but at the same time, he looked at me as though he pitied me.

"Shall we see what you did Ruka?" Krad asked as he giggled psychotically.

I snarled and tackled the angel. I didn't want to see anymore of his lies. I didn't want to see anymore blood. And I didn't want to see them make me do something I know I would never do. From the corner of my eye, I could see myself walking down the hallway, Shikyo in my hand again. I entered the room that Ruka shared with Rima. I put Shikyo on the bedside chest and went back to my room.

Ruka knocked on my door and the conversation we had carried out as normal. When she walked away, I opened the door, picked up Shikyo and followed her. I knew that Rima would still be with Takuma and Shiki. I placed the doll on the bedside chest again and pretended to see something outside of the window. When Ruka turned around, I shattered the glass, making sure it pierced main veins and arteries as I hummed the little rhyme.

I narrowed my eyes at Krad as I punched him. "How dare you spread those sorts of lies? What gives you the right to slander my good name?"

"Kaname!" Zero called as he pulled me back.

"You can see him now?" I demanded. "You can see Krad? You're protecting him? Why would you do something like that? He's the reason all of this happened to me!"

"Kaname, there is no Krad!" Zero shouted. "There is no Krad, no Koori and no Shikyo. That doll you named Shikyo is something you found. Why are you acting like this? They doctors said you were getting better."

I blinked. My anger died down as confusion took over. "Doctors?" I repeated. "What doctors? What are you talking about?"

Zero took a deep breath. "Where do you think we are, Kaname?"

I looked around. Could he not see that were inside the rundown building that was once Hikari Dolls? Was he playing dumb for a reason? "We're at Hikari Dolls," I answered.

Zero shook his head. "There's no such place as Hikari Dolls, Kaname. I've already looked. I searched the entire world for it. It doesn't exist."

"But what about Krad?" I asked as I pointed to the angel that was on the ground. I frowned and scanned the shop. Where was he now? "Where did he go?"

"Krad doesn't exist, either, Kaname. He's someone that you made up."

I stared at Zero. He was treating me like I was crazy when he was the one that couldn't see the angel? He had walked with me to the store. He was the one that had told me that Headmaster had found where the shop was. "And what about the suicide of the fourteen year old boy? You were the one that told me about that."

"I was reading the news to you that day. Just because you're locked up doesn't mean you don't have to turn a blind eye to the outside world." Zero rubbed my shoulder soothingly. "Kaname, you had a psychotic break. The stress of everything that was going on was too much for you to handle. You invented Koori and Krad and Shikyo. You found a doll that you said reminded you of a doll that your sister had a decade ago."

"Why is everyone lying to me today? Krad is showing me images of me hurting my friends. You're trying to tell me that they don't exist. Zero, you spoke to Koori last night!" I was on the verge of tears. Why wasn't anyone listening to me? Why did they think I had created these people?

"Kaname, I haven't seen you in a month. There was no way that I could have been here when you say I was. I've been doing assignments for the Association." Zero released me and stepped back. "We're not in a store, Kaname. We're in a mental hospital. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you'll be able to recover from everything that happened."

"No!" I shouted. "We are not in a hospital. We are at Hikari Dolls. It was a three hour long walk, Zero. You were with me. Why are you treating me like I'm crazy?"

Zero's eyes narrowed. "Fuck being gentle with you. Kaname, you are bat shit insane. I always thought I would be the one that went crazy first but you proved me wrong. This incessant babbling of yours about demonic angels and killer dolls and the spirits of little girls has gone on long enough. I hope that when Yuuki comes to visit you, they have you medicated."

Zero turned his back on me and walked out of the store. I stared after him. "That's not true," I muttered. Krad stood beside me. "Why can't he see you?"

"The store where you got Shikyo from? It wasn't called Hikari Dolls; it was called Hikari Designer Dolls. And it's because I'm not real. You're the only person that can see me, Kaname." Krad smirked and kissed my cheek.

"That can't be true. You served me, ten years ago. You told me that dolls have a life of their own."

Krad laughed. "I never expected you to go insane and kill Koori and her family, while forcing her to write that ridiculous letter. Face it, Kaname, you were pure evil from the start. Attacking your friends in a way that not even _I_ would think of is a good indication of that."

I stared at the dirty floor of the store. "I couldn't have been responsible for it..." I looked at the counter and sat Shikyo standing on it. I walked over to her and studied her lifeless face. "Why did you do this to me?"

Krad appeared behind the counter. "We didn't do anything to you. You were the one that created us and used us as an excuse to hurt people. Monsters find each other, Kaname. You created us and found us." Krad stroked Shikyo's auburn locks. "Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep."

"If I die before I wake," Shikyo said as her eyes flickered to me.

"I pray the Lord my soul to take."

I looked at the door to the store and saw Koori standing there. She was holding Shiro and grinning. I only wished that everyone else could see them. I guess I never stood a chance. I walked over to Koori and petted Shiro. I sat with my back to the door as I began to sing, "This old man, he played one..."

~ * ~  
End.

I sincerely apologise for how long this took me to do. I had some other, more pressing matters to attend. Anyway, I'm hoping this wasn't the ending you were expecting. I hope that you enjoyed it and at some point, I will get around to editing this story. I noticed a lot of mistakes. But please ignore them.  
I know that this chapter is short but I didn't want it to drag on too long. If it feels like it has been rushed, then I apologise for that as well. I really wanted to get it over and done with. Besides, Kaname's descent into madness was a lot of fun to write. I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed typing it.

To everyone that has reviewed, thank you so much. It means a lot to me to know what you think. So please be sure to tell me what you think of the ending.

Thanks for all of your support.

D. Panthernopaeus.


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